Catharanthus plant named ‘Suncatfe 291’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Catharanthus plant named ‘Suncatfe 291’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively small star-shaped light red purple-colored flowers with dark red purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Catharanthus roseus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNCATFE 291’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Catharanthus plant,botanically known as Catharanthus roseus and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Suncatfe 291’.

The new Catharanthus plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to develop new compact and freely branchingCatharanthus plants with numerous small attractive flowers.

The new Catharanthus plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in September, 2013 of aproprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as codedesignation FS8239, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as codedesignation VP8507, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thenew Catharanthus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan in September, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Catharanthus plant by vegetative tipcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan since December, 2015, has shown that the unique features of thisnew Catharanthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Catharanthus have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Suncatfe 291’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Suncatfe 291’ as a new and distinctCatharanthus plant:

-   -   1. Compact, semi-upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Relatively small star-shaped light red purple-colored flowers        with dark red purple-colored centers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Catharanthus differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of thefemale parent selection have light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Catharanthus differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Catharanthus have smaller flowers than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Catharanthus and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have light purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of theCatharanthus roseus ‘Suncatha 2439’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.27,477. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Catharanthusdiffer from plants of ‘Suncatha 2439’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Catharanthus are shorter and narrower than        plants of ‘Suncatha 2439’.    -   2. Plants of the new Catharanthus have thicker stems than plants        of ‘Suncatha 2439’.    -   3. Plants of the new Catharanthus and ‘Suncatha 2439’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘Suncatha 2439’ have flowers that are        dark red purple in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Catharanthus plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Catharanthus plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Suncatfe 291’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Suncatfe 291’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the late summer and early autumnin 20-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japanand under cultural practices typical of commercial production. Duringthe production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were four months old when thephotographs were taken and five months old when the description wastaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Catharanthus roseus ‘Suncatfe 291’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation FS8239,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation VP8507,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at            temperatures about 30° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at            temperatures about 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five            weeks at temperatures about 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six            weeks at temperatures about 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual            color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,            water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate            temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright and uniformly            mounding plant habit; freely basal branching habit with            numerous basal and secondary branches developing per plant;            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 32 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 23 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 4.8 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 8 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 145D tinged with close to 60D.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—About 18 per lateral branch;            opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.25 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Rounded.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137B; venation,            close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 138A; venation, close to 145D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 5.2 mm. Diameter: About 1.1 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 145C tinged with close to 59D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single star-shaped salverform            flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering            habit with more than 200 to 250 small flowers developing per            plant; flowers face mostly upright.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering habit.—Plants begin flowering about two to three            weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the garden,            plants flower continuously from the early summer to late            autumn in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two to three            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Shape: Narrowly ovoid with cylindrical tube. Color: Towards            the base, close to 145C tinged with close to 35D;            mid-section, close to 145B; towards the apex, close to            NN155B.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 2.2 cm.        -   Tube length.—About 1.9 cm.        -   Tube diameter, proximally.—About 1 mm.        -   Tube diameter, distally.—About 1.5 mm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals in a single whorl fused at            the base into a tube. Petal length from throat: About            1.2 cm. Petal width: About 4.3 mm. Petal shape: Narrowly            elliptic to oblanceolate. Petal apex: Acute. Petal margin:            Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface:            Close to 75B; eye, close to 59A. Petal, when opening, lower            surface: Close to N155B. Petal, fully opened, upper surface:            Close to N74D; towards the base, close to 66B; eye, close to            59B; color does not change with development. Petal, fully            opened, lower surface: Close to N155B; towards the apex,            close to N74D; color does not change with development.            Throat: Proximally, close to 145D; distally, close to 145C.            Tube: Proximally, close to 145C tinged with close to 35D;            distally, close to 145B.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped tubular calyx with five            sepals fused towards the base. Length: About 1.4 mm.            Diameter: About 1.6 mm. Sepal length: About 1.4 mm. Sepal            width: About 0.4 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:            Acuminate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 144C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm.            Angle: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 145C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Anther size: About 1.3 mm by 0.6 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly            elliptic. Anther color: Close to 11D. Pollen amount: Scarce.            Pollen color: Close to 11D. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 1.5 cm. Style color: Close to            157D. Stigma shape: Globose. Stigma color: Close to 144B.            Ovary color: Close to 144B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit            development have not been observed on plants of the new            Catharanthus to date.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have been    observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain    and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Catharanthus plants to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Catharanthus plant named ‘Suncatfe291’ as illustrated and described.